BONG VODKA REFUSING TO PULL ITS ADS
DISCUS issued its fifth semi-annual report detailing complaints over 16 alcohol advertisements. Out of the 16 advertisements, the Code Review Board found nine were in violation, leading all but one to take corrective action.
Ads from The Patrón Spirits Company’s Silver Patrón Tequila, Moët Hennessy USA’s Hennessy, The Margarita King Inc., Sidney Frank’s Jagermeister, Skyy Spirit’s Skyy vodka and Atlantic Brands’ Maximus Vodka all pulled their advertisements to comply with DISCUS.
The company that, so far, hasn’t chosen to follow the code? Bong Spirit Company over their Bong Vodka that, yes, looks like a bong. According to the report:
“The advertiser disagreed that they ‘market a distilled spirit in a device used to smoke marijuana.’ The advertiser views the nature of their concept as ‘pop icon imagery’ that represents a history and lifestyle of creative expression, which dates back a hundred years to [their] vodka’s origination in Holland.’ Further, the advertiser stated that ‘there is nothing illegal or obscene about the use of the word ‘bong.’”
“After careful deliberation, the Code Review Board respectfully disagreed with the advertiser and found that, although the marketing materials make no specific illicit drug references, the marketing of a distilled spirit in a bottle shaped as a bong, which is a device commonly known to be used to smoke marijuana, in conjunction with using the word 'bong' in the brand name implies illegal activity and therefore violates Responsible Content Provision No. 17 of the DISCUS Code.”
DISCUS states that “the board continues to urge the advertiser to revise these advertising and marketing materials in light of the Code’s provisions.”
“While this recent Report continued to show 100 percent compliance by Distilled Spirits Council members with Code Review Board decisions, importantly, there also was overwhelming compliance by non-members,” said DISCUS president and chief Peter Cressy, who noted that of the 7 non-DISCUS member ads found in violation, six were pulled. “These results show that the Code review process continues to have a positive and significant impact in the marketplace and that the industry’s self-regulation works,” he added.
Ads from The Patrón Spirits Company’s Silver Patrón Tequila, Moët Hennessy USA’s Hennessy, The Margarita King Inc., Sidney Frank’s Jagermeister, Skyy Spirit’s Skyy vodka and Atlantic Brands’ Maximus Vodka all pulled their advertisements to comply with DISCUS.
The company that, so far, hasn’t chosen to follow the code? Bong Spirit Company over their Bong Vodka that, yes, looks like a bong. According to the report:
“The advertiser disagreed that they ‘market a distilled spirit in a device used to smoke marijuana.’ The advertiser views the nature of their concept as ‘pop icon imagery’ that represents a history and lifestyle of creative expression, which dates back a hundred years to [their] vodka’s origination in Holland.’ Further, the advertiser stated that ‘there is nothing illegal or obscene about the use of the word ‘bong.’”
“After careful deliberation, the Code Review Board respectfully disagreed with the advertiser and found that, although the marketing materials make no specific illicit drug references, the marketing of a distilled spirit in a bottle shaped as a bong, which is a device commonly known to be used to smoke marijuana, in conjunction with using the word 'bong' in the brand name implies illegal activity and therefore violates Responsible Content Provision No. 17 of the DISCUS Code.”
DISCUS states that “the board continues to urge the advertiser to revise these advertising and marketing materials in light of the Code’s provisions.”
“While this recent Report continued to show 100 percent compliance by Distilled Spirits Council members with Code Review Board decisions, importantly, there also was overwhelming compliance by non-members,” said DISCUS president and chief Peter Cressy, who noted that of the 7 non-DISCUS member ads found in violation, six were pulled. “These results show that the Code review process continues to have a positive and significant impact in the marketplace and that the industry’s self-regulation works,” he added.
posted at 2:23 PM
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